President of Botswana, Mokgweetsi Masisi, on Thursday, announced that $1.8 million has been allocated towards the development of sport during the current financial year.
Masisi made this known during a send-off ceremony of youth national darts team in Francistown, Botswana’s second-largest city.
“I am pleased to inform you that the government has allocated $1.8 million, this financial year, towards the development of the sport,’’ he said.
The country’s youth national darts team, comprising nine girls and 10 boys under 18 years, heads off for Walvis Bay, Namibia, to compete in the biannual African Union Sports Council Region 5 Youth Championships.
Masisi said the government has also established 14 schools dedicated as centres of sporting excellence.
He added that the objective of these centres is to unearth sporting talent while ensuring educational development among students.
According to the president, the centres cover the codes of athletics, boxing, karate, football, netball, softball and volleyball.
“We have allocated $360,000 towards the running of these centres, this financial year because our aim is to produce a lot of athletes in different sporting disciplines.’’
According to Masisi, sport can reduce the southern African country’s unemployment rate, currently estimated at 24 per cent.
He added that his dream was to make Botswana a net exporter of professional athletes in different sporting disciplines.
